


Mirror

by con_kamski



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: I'm afraid to use tags and then spoil the thing. I'm sorry., M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-17 04:26:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13069107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/con_kamski/pseuds/con_kamski
Summary: The death of his friend had caused him to pause and look at the world in a dull, colourless setting. But with the help of a mirror, will he change his life for the better?





	1. Friend In The Mirror

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy?

_Death is inevitable._

He wrote it in italics, with a wide paintbrush in his left hand covered in the blackest of blacks he could find in the shop. The wounds on his arm ached as he violently moved the brush across the canvas of his best friend's bedroom wall. He stood then in silence, looking straight through, trying to decipher what the words meant.

"He's never coming back." Dan heard himself say, again and again. He kicked the bucket with his foot, letting the paint wash the floor away with it's darkness in the same fashion he felt his world had come to an end. The gaping wound on his forehead pulsated against his better judgement, feeling the wetness of his blood under the bandage secured around his skull. His apartment was empty, his head was clear, and he felt nothing but physical pain. There was no rage, no sadness, no bitterness left in him of any kind. They would come back another day, for sure, but for now he was a hollow shell. He'd screamed all the words, said all that needs to be said and cried all the tears his eyes could produce.

Now, nothing remains. Nothing but a Phil shaped gap in his existence.

It was a marvel that he still existed in the first place, a marvel he did not seek to observe.

It had been a day since the news. Nobody other than him and Phil's family were informed. He was with him, actually, the second it happened. Of course he was... they were inseparable.

"Were... We were..." the past tense was not something he was looking forward to getting used to.

How colourful was that day? With the streets of London as vibrant as night allows, with scattered signs and traffic lights that made the place look quite romantic and serene. Phil looked so good in his galaxy coat, and Dan rocked the double denim of his black shirt and Dementor coat.

Dinner was the best part.

They stumbled upon an old looking coffee shop in the corner of the street. Dimly lit and vintage looking, with a sepia aesthetic that urged Dan to drag his companion into the shop. They talked as if they hadn't spoken since forever, despite them talking all the time about anything that comes to mind. And it was an odd talk. An intimate talk. The kind of talk that would render 'Phan' real in the eyes of his viewers. But, he paid them no mind and instead stared at the curious shades beyond his best friends' gaze.

He didn't think the night could be ruined, and the last thing he expected was to be the victim of a drunk cabbie.

He was.

They sat in the best seats, that proved to be the reason of their doom. By the window, opposite to the street. Phil could see a driver coming from the distance, disoriented and definitely out of his course. Before either could react, the driver fell asleep, and his wheels came crashing through the window of the shop. In the slowest of motions, Dan was pushed by his left side onto the ground, hitting his head against the floor hard enough for him to lose his senses. He tried to focus his eyes on Phil, at the man currently under the wheels of the blasted car. Blood was pouring out of his mouth, and his face had frozen in shock, only to soften featureless as he lost his grip on reality. And almost on cue, Dan had lost consciousness, and his universe turned completely black.

It never saw the light of day ever since.

The doctors say he was 'lucky'. If he was one step further back in his chair, if he wasn't so close to Phil when it happened, he would have been run over too.

He wished he was.

He went back to his room, still in the accident clothes which he wore on their night out, and on his way out of the hospital. His injuries weren't severe, for some reason. Nothing but bruises on his left forearm, and a head injury said to ensure a scar. His hair was sticking everywhere with grease, and he reeked of sweat and blood. Not that he even noticed. His phone was silent on his bedside table, he'd silenced it after the alarming number of texts and phone calls he received from Phil's mother.

She wanted him to help with the funeral.

"So soon.. Why are funerals so soon.." He shook his head, trying to shake away the sadness beginning to seep through the cracks in his heart again. He was suffocating, and his high bedroom walls felt too narrow and small as the seconds pass him by.

Enclosing.. Enclosing..

He needed air.

Not even bothering to straighten up, he jumped off the bed, swiftly grabbing his phone, keys and wallet as he sprinted towards the stairs. It was late afternoon, with the sun looking quite red and violet at the same time. He pushed the door aside, taking in the cold autumn breeze, reminding him he needed coffee to stay up as he didn't feel quite good about sleeping any time soon.

Phil would have wanted Starbucks...

"No!" He shook his head again, he can't just remember Phil every time he saw or remembered something. Everything reminded him of Phil.

Phil was everything.

He kept walking aimlessly.

People, as expectedly, avoided him on the street. He appreciated that; the last thing he wanted was to interact with humans. There came an unfamiliar turn across the traffic lights on his right side, and he looked intrigued. For no logical reason, of course. He felt something was there, at that alleyway. It was almost... calling to him.

He had no reason to not answer.

He carefully stepped closer, every single one of his heavy steps turned lighter and faster as he reached the mouth of the alleyway. Before he really turned into it, or peaked at what's inside it, he started singing.

_And whenever the sun came out, we played..._

He didn't hear the road or the cars anymore, he was just listening to his voice, and the echo in the empty quarters he's stepping into.

_We would run on the block all night and day..._

His footsteps felt light, but loud. And he started hearing a voice singing along with him.

_And whenever the sun came out, we played..._

The voice was familiar, and pleasant. He knew the voice, and he needed to listen to it.

_I left myself in the alleyway._

It was Phil's voice.

He halted once the realisation hit him.

"Am I already hallucinating? Great." He shook his head, his vision was starting to clear. The voice though, didn't stop.

"Dan?" He shivered, this can't be real.

"Who is this?! Is this a joke?!" He roared, feeling angry as fast as lightning. A fire burned in him all of a sudden. Who would do something as despicable as this?

"No Dan... Look for me."

He turned on every side, not seeing anything remotely similar to a man or a woman's body. He knows he needs therapy at this point, but it sounded real. It felt real.

"Where... Where are you?" His voice cracked, and the tears were welling up in his eyes.

"I'm here, I'm near!" He could hear a hint of sadness in the voice, but he couldn't find it. But something shone the corner of his eyes.

A... posh looking hand mirror? It was carelessly left on the ground, next to a dumpster. When he looked closer, he saw the mirror was not reflecting the sky. It was blue, there was a morning sky in it. He picked it up, and searched through it, unable to fathom that he can't see his reflection anywhere. And out of nowhere, a very familiar face had jumped into view.

"BOO!" The face said, and he'd almost dropped the mirror in horror.

"What the fuck--"

"Its-A-Me! Phil!" Phil Lester said through the mirror, looking excitedly at a disoriented and very horrified Dan Howell. He looked at his friend, his right hand covering his face. He had a bondage wrapped around his head, his hair was a mess, his clothes were a mess and his face was pale. Absent. It took him a second to realise his mistake.

"Oh Dan--"

"Don't." He squinted his eyes onto the road on the other side, he needed to sleep. " You're not real." Dan dropped the mirror and turned to walk away.

"Wait! No, listen! I am real!"

"YOU ARE DEAD," Dan shouted back. Quickly looking behind to see if someone saw him shouting at a mirror.

"I know."

This made him halt.

"What the fuck do you mean, you  _know_?" He replied incredulously.

"I know I'm dead, I'm halfway through the afterlife."

"Right..."

"No listen, I--" He stopped.

"Phil?" Dan stepped closer, the mirror is just a mirror, there was no Phil in it. "Phil! Come back!" He shook the mirror, but no response. It only reflected his sorrowful eyes and the redness of the sky.

"Do you wish to speak to him again, boy?"

That was a different voice.

He saw a man standing across from him and the mirror that was now in his hands, standing upright in a black suit and a black top hat. He had a wicked smile on his face, one that made him step back without even waiting for his brain to catch up. This man was dangerous.

"I see you've found my mirror, Daniel. Do you want to keep it? Not that it'd be much use to you like this..."

"Your mirror? Wait, what- Are you telling me this is real?"

"Quite." The man stepped closer, causing Dan to jump backwards and fall down on his bottom. The man smiled at him, and stretched his hands to help. Dan didn't take it.

He pulled his hand away, straightening his jacket and fixing his hat, though his smile didn't falter. "Listen, Daniel. I have a proposition to make."

Dan stared at him, was this man serious? Does he not realise how shady he looks and sounds? "We're not gonna talk crap until you tell me what this bloody mirror is, and how do you even know my name?"

"I know everyone's name, Daniel."

"That's shady AF."

"What does AF stand for?"

Wow.

"Uhh, 'as fuck'?"

"Ah, indeed." He chuckled. "Well, you'll need to know what this is before I make any proposals. This mirror is a window to a place called Atria, which is the realm souls dwell in before they get sent into the afterlife. That typically occurs after the soul is buried."

Dan did not respond immediately, he didn't think asking stupid questions will help his situation.

"Right... And, Phil is... okay. Whatever, let's pretend it's true. Where's Phil now then? It's just a mirror."

The man cracked his fingers with his hands, making Dan cringe. "This mirror is like... a window, or a really old tv that needs a blue sky to catch a signal. It's only consistent in places where there aren't a lot of people."

Dan studied the man, he couldn't see why he'd show him something like this.

"It won't change that Phil had died... I don't want to see him disappear again. You should know this too if you know stuff." Dan shook his head, for the millionth time today. "You can have it back."

"But you hadn't heard my proposal yet, Daniel."

"Stop calling me Daniel, it is DAN." He glared. He might have thought the name was neat, but it falls flat to his ears when the man utters it. "And if it doesn't involve some ancient Harry Potter magic that could bring him out of the dead, I'm not interested." He retorted, very much done with this conversation.

"Then I suggest you stay, as this proposal will be within your realm of interest, Dan." He smiled.

...That's not possible.

He didn't want to question it though.

"Why me?" He tried one last time, to see if this man can be trusted or not.

The man stepped forward, and held Dan by the shoulders. He pulled him closer, his lips brushing Dan's ears, making him shiver to his core. He then sniffed Dan's hair like it was the most normal thing people do in these situations. "Because I know the desperate ones when I smell them. The ones that will fulfil the proposition no matter what..."

Dan did not move at all, he was mortified.

"What do you want... in return?" He cautiously said.

"Oh nothing too hard! Don't be alarmed. I just need you to do three tasks. Three simple tasks. I don't promise that they're 'moral' but, I'm sure you'll find a way to fulfil them anyway! I'll inform you of the first one tomorrow. The second and third shall occur on the third day, the day of the funeral. Better not mess them up Dan, or your precious Philly will go forever! He doesn't know about the immoral part, by the way. Maybe don't tell him that? Well then, Adios!"

"Wha- WAIT!"

He disappeared into thin air.

Dan stood silent for lord knows how long, staring back and forth from the empty alleyway to his reflection.

"This isn't real... This can't be real..." But it felt so real.

"It is real, Dan." Phil appeared, smiling at him like there was nothing wrong with the world, like this mirror did not exist between them. His tears couldn't be stopped any longer.

"I'm gonna get you back, Phil. I will do whatever it takes to get you back. I swear, I promise." He chocked on his breath, dropping on his knees, hugging the mirror so light, he felt as if he'd break it with his tears.

"I know, I know... Lets go home now, Dan. Lets go home."


	2. Ring

Dan was sat on his desk, the sounds of a distant train was filling the silence of his room, wondering what train must be leaving the near vicinities of his apartment complex...

The sound of little feet, tapping away down the hallway, and happy giggles disturbed his peace as well. He let down his glasses, deciding to stand up and see what the ruckus was about.

"Daddy, Daddy!" His young daughter called, mischievously grinning as she made her way to Dan's legs. He smiled at the little thing, much of her was taken after him, except the intense blue of her wide curious eyes. The afternoon lights draped over the kitchen, seeing Phil panic as he cleans disregarded pancakes on the kitchen floor. Cinderella's song was playing on the radio, making him chuckle. It only seemed appropriate with Phil at the moment, wasn't it?

"What did you do this time..."

"Did nothin!" She giggled more, clearly not trying to convince her father of anything.

The voice of a very distressed Phillip had filled the place as well, desperate for Dan to pay attention. "Lina is getting out of hand Dan! She dropped the pancakes, AGAIN!"

"Oh dear." He shook his head. He can never get a moment of silence can he? He picked her up, wiping some of the flour that worked up on her cheeks. He walked towards his husband, waiting for justice to be served... Though he should have known better. Dan spoiled Lina too much to punish her for anything.

"There there, I'll make you some." He smirked at a huffing Phil, but he let it go. Phil instead turned around to resume cleaning the floor.

"No thanks, you're rubbish at that!"

"Wow, rude."

"Daddy's rubbish!"

"Stop teaching her bad words!" He said angrily, his smile betraying him in the process. He picked up the bag of flour and made Lina throw some at her father's hair. It somehow landed on both of them.

"I didn't teach her that!" They were all laughing, listening to the radio, listening to the laughs. Dan was content, was happy.

He was happy with Phil.

"Now that's a pretty picture, isn't it, Danny boy?"

Both Lina and Phil turned to dust, the colours of the vibrant room turning dark and drenched in black paint. He suddenly found himself alone, the pain on his arm and head coming back in an instant. He panicked and turned in every direction. The apartment had vanished, his dreams were crumbling away, his shadow got bigger, and there weren't lights to cast it anyway. It ran away from him, and frankly, he didn't mind. Fear locked in his heart, and emptiness was only filled with the sounds of the sudden silence in his dimension. He remembered what he was, who he was, how he was, what his position in this world had led him to. The shadows materialised into a familiar figure, the alleyway man. He was bigger, darker, and this time he wore a black and white striped suit. It didn't suit him at all.

"Now that, I think, is what you call a serious breach of the laws of nature." He smiled the same shark-like sickly smile he'd remembered from the day before, and still, nothing made sense.

"And all this," Dan gestured around him. "You call this natural?"

"Indeed not." He stated.

"Then where are we?! What is this?! Why did you have to-"

"Show you what your dreams look like and destroy them?" He laughed, kind of, a cold shriek that was as sick as his attitude. "Because I'm a sadist."

"Great." Dan said, smiling bitterly.

"Now listen... You've got only a little time before you wake, and so here I am. Here's your first task."

Dan hadn't forgotten about the 'tasks', and if he was being honest, he'd say he was afraid. But he was not honest, and he refused to address his fears. So what if he beats someone up? Or if he throws someone off a bridge? It will all be reversed, or so he hoped. It will be okay. Nothing will matter. In fact, does anything matter now? Time is an illusion, constructed by our stupid little heads to make sense of events that wouldn't make sense otherwise. Death is inevitable, people will day anyway, they die every day, he'll just make it happen earlier if he had to.

No.. He was going mad... This isn't him. He's not a murderer.

"I liked how your mind worked, boy. Don't trickle back to what you are and aren't. It won't help you with this." The man suddenly appeared behind him, causing Dan to freeze. His bare cheek rubbed against the man's beard as if fingernails were scraping against his skin. He felt naked and disgusted.

"Oh dear, don't be! A handsome lonely man like you should need some... Physical attention..."

"FUCK THE HELL OFF!" He stumbled away, the hairs on his arms standing in fear, and anger. He was never one to be so angry, but he was. "Are you reading my mind?"

The man simply chuckled. "I am IN your mind, idiot! Listen, the first thing you need to do is to steal something precious."

"....To steal what?"

"Something precious! Something with EMOTIONAL value to the owner. Steal it! Break their hearts! Do it with style." He winked at Dan, he couldn't get any more repelling to Dan if he tried.

"Why do I need to do that?"

"Do I need to give you a reason to do it?"

"Yes!"

"Hm.. Well, lets say the reason is that if you don't do it, I won't bring Phil back!"

That didn't make any sense.

"But- Why are you doing all this? What do you want from me? Why can't you just bring Phil back to me?"

"Why?" He strode towards Dan, stopping one inch before his face. "Because I'm bored, and you're desperate. There's only so much you can do in all of eternity with infinite power... I needed a hobby, and making people suffer is mine. It's just.. exhilarating, isn't it?"

He wandered off into the other side of the black room, snapping his fingers in a swift motion. Within seconds, they were back in the kitchen again. Phil and Lina were there, and another older Dan.

"Don't you want  _this_?" He stressed on the S like a snake, and slithered away into the shadows. He didn't have to be visible for Dan to know he was there. He stared longingly at the happy scene before him, feeling his inhibitions fall as the minutes pass.

"How do I know you'll deliver?"

"Excuse me! I never lie, or hide truths. Okay.. that's a lie. Still! I'm here to make it official." He pushed his hand in his pocket, and pulled out a contract and a pen. "Here, by this, we'll be bound. If any of us breaks the contract, that person is sent immediately to hell. By that I mean our spirits themselves will both turn to dust."

Dan walked silently, snatching the contract to read it. As if he'd make a deal with the devil without reading it first.

"The devil... I like the sound of that." Dan ignored him.

The contract seems fine, and well versed in it's demands. The only way to break the contract was apparently telling Phil and other people of the contract.

"Well?" He smiled at Dan, making him wonder what his face would look like if he punched it.

"Mmmm saucy boy..."

"You  _know_  what I think." Dan stated.

"I need you to verbally consent to this, obviously."

"Is it verbal when I don't say it with my physical mouth?"

He shrugged. "It is in my book."

"Fine, I agree to the terms of the contract. Or, whatever."

"Brilliant!" The contract flew from his fingers, disintegrating into a red hue of light. It swivelled around Dan, and like a spear, it burned the skin around his neck. He fell on his ass again, closed his eyes, feeling an urge to not look at what comes next. "Remember, you must complete the task before midnight, otherwise we'll just have to call it quits! I don't like waiting, Danny." He winked at Dan, but Dan didn't see it. And with a blown kiss, his went away.

Dan woke up in his bed drenched in sweat, heavily breathing. This was going to be a long day.

***

He took the mirror and placed it on the kitchen counter, both hoping Phil would appear, and not appear at all. The fantasy shook him to the core, and he found himself distressed and in need of his best friend. But what would he tell him? That the devil is upon him and he's a dick? That Dan dreamed they were married? That all the distance they kept between each other in front of their viewers was for nothing?

"That I only realised I have feelings for him after he died..." He mumbled under his breath.

This wasn't right. He can worry about his feelings after he brings Phil back from the dead. Maybe he misses him too much, maybe grief is making him lose his mind.

Except, his feelings never changed. He's just more aware of them now. That didn't bode well for him at all, he thought.

"Dan? Are you there?" He heard from across the counter, and smashed his foot against it as well.

"UGH-- Uh Y-yes I'm here.." He was such a mess.

"Jesus, are you okay?" Phil chuckled at him in the mirror, making Dan's heart warm up at the familiar noise.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just, stub my toe, is all." He didn't even notice when he'd started laughing along. That was the thing with Phil, he always made him unconditionally happy.

They talked for hours, as Dan ate his breakfast and washed the dishes. They even watched anime like they always did at this time of day. It was almost perfect... Almost. Phil was not physically there, and the fact ticked him off.

He needed to perform the task, now.

"I'll go do the task, Phil. I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?"

"Oh! What is the first task?" He beamed excitedly at him.

"Uhh... I just need to find something. I don't know what it is. Apparently, I'll know when I find it."

"Right, okay..." Phil seemed a bit concerned, he always knew when Dan was hiding something from him. Curse them living together.

He picked up the mirror, placing his injured forehead on the glass. Phil moved forward, and did the same on the other side. They could almost feel each other, being so close, but the barrier replaced the warmth with synthetic cold. Not that Dan could feel it with the bandage. They both looked straight through each other's eyes, their chests feeling something strange... Like the night they went for dinner. Phil was blushing instantly, and by the smile that worked its way into his eyes, Dan figured he must be blushing as well.

"Be safe," Phil whispered.

Dan nodded, placing the mirror on the counter, and going out of the front door as fast as his legs allowed.

***

He walked down the street, it was already the afternoon. He again wore his black coat over his fresh black skinny jeans and his Spirited Away jumper. He put his hood over his head, casually walking through the busy roads of London, out of everyone's way. Dan had a gift, he supposed. He always knew how to blend in the background of thing. Now, what would he steal that would be important but easy to snatch?

"Argh!" He heard a scream from a nearby coffee shop.

"Are you okay madam?!" A horrified looking waiter was hovering over a woman bending over in pain. It looked like he'd poured some hot coffee onto her hand.

"....She's wearing a ring...." He mumbled, and walked straight to her.

It was show time.

"Remember Dan, nothing matters but Phil." He took the hood off, gently but carefully approached the waiter and the panicking burned brunette.

"Hey, waiter." He called, and the waiter snapped his head towards Dan in an instant.

"Sir, I am sorry but I am in a tricky situation here-"

"How about you stop staring at the woman here and go grab a bowl of cold water?" He said sharply, placing his hand gently on the woman's shoulder. She looked up at him, grateful.

"R-right! Sorry!" He went away hastily, leaving Dan alone to his own devices.

"I'm sorry madam-"

"Julia." She corrected.

"Right, Julia." He smiled tenderly. "Sorry but, your hand seems to be swallowed. Do you want me to... Help you take that ring off your finger? It might make things more comfortable..." He tilted his head in question.

"Oh! Why yes, thank you. Oh god that waiter, he's utterly useless in a crisis." She shook her head, carefully placing her palm on Dan's bigger ones.

"Indeed he is." He stared at her and grinned, all toothy and wrinkly in the eyes. He knew how to fake a smile better than people thought he could.

She blushed.

'Oh...' He could turn this to his advantage.

 _Do it in style._ The man's words echoed in his head.

He expertly removed the ring from her finger, placing his hand on the table for her to see. Delicately, as the waiter brought the bowl, he inserted her hand into the bowl with his. He noticed her wincing, and did it even slower than he did before.

"Hey, it's okay, trust me. This will draw the heat out of your hand and relief the swallowing."

"I know that..." She mumbled.

He pretended not to listen.

He dragged his hand off the table, slipping the ring into his pocket as stealthily as he could manage. She was lost in his eyes, and he seemed to be lost in hers, but all he could think about was how cold Phil's hands were when he touched them, and how lifeless his eyes were when he looked at them. His heart felt nothing for this girl.

He wanted Phil to be warm again.

They chatted for a few minutes, and she ended up giving him her number. He asked her about her husband, and she responded very simply.

"I love my husband, Winston. And I just think we'd be good friends."

He knew she was lying, but decided to keep his opinions to himself for once. And yes, he wouldn't give her any clues about who he actually was. She'd realise he'd stolen her ring sooner or later.

He walked away, intending to never talk to her ever again. He again walked aimlessly, not feeling good about the stealing. He was never a thief... And he came upon a very familiar alleyway, with a very noticeable figure at the end of it.

Right.

"That was quite stylish my friend." The man clapped, as if he was really proud of Dan for stealing the woman's wedding ring.

He took the ring out of his pocket, and threw it at the man's feet. "Here, I did what you asked. Does that mean the first task is over?"

"Indeed it is... but don't get too comfortable! The second task is at foot, and it won't be very pretty Dan."

He sighed.

"What do I need to do now?"

The man smiled. "You need to burn a house. Not just ANY house... A house many people live in."


	3. Burn It to the Ground

Dan heard the words, to burn. He was not given the time to contemplate what he heard. The man said something else, something he didn't quite understand. His vision was blurred, and he found himself stumbling backwards.

"Here Danny, I'll be nice this time. I'll give you a hand."

Was he hallucinating? His face simmered, burning against the floor like a pan put on fire. The tips of his fingers were desperately holding on to the edges of the stone. He tried shaking his head, but it only made him feel more nauseous. He felt a cold hand thread itself through his hair, relieving him from his burning sensations.The fingers trailed down to his smaller back, settling on his hip. It turned him around. The skies were spinning, he couldn't tell up from down. A voice in his head was telling him to get away as fast as he can, but he couldn't even move his limbs. He was paralysed, and Phil wasn't here.

The man carried Dan on his back, away from the mirror, away from London. This mission was a specific one, it was the real test. He, with a single motion in his hand, vanished out of the place like it was nothing. Thrown in a wormhole, they were sucked in a tumbling canal of confusing lights and whispers that were mostly unintelligible to Dan's ears. The vibrant colours around Dan made him feel terribly sick and overwhelmed. It was as if his soul was being forcibly dragged out of his body, and whisked into a vortex of agony. The man then stood on a patch of grass, and like a chain of ripples, the colours and shapes drifted in place. Dan saw it was night, somehow. The man flung Dan hard onto the ground, and pointed at a lonely house, filled with lights and laughter, but it was on a farm in the middle of who knows where.

"This house, burn it."

"Why-- How?" Dan struggled to stand, shaken from the trip they just took. "Where are we?!"

"Does it matter? Just do it." And he vanished. Not really, he was still watching. The last thing Dan saw of him was his obnoxious smile and his ugly suit.

"Watch it, Danny boy." He heard a voice say from the sky.

He couldn't really stop thinking about it afterwards.

He stumbled to his feet, his jeans were dirty from the mud and grass he was plunged upon. Every step came with an ounce of guilt, a voice ringing telling him it wasn't worth it. How is it their fault that Phil died? Was he really going to kill them?

He wasn't, there's nothing in the task that suggested they should die.

But how can he force them out of the house? Will they even let him in?

Time to put his acting lessons to work, again.

He took off his bandages, allowing some undried blood to trail down his face, and pulled up his sleeves to get rid of the ones over his bruises. He decided the best course of action was to look like a deer that was hit by a car, maybe then they'd feel sorry for him and help him. He breathed heavily for a few minutes, calming his nerves and the adrenaline rush that took over his senses. He thought of Phil again, and how after today, they'd finally be together.

Just one more day.

With the most pathetic looking expression he could muster, he knocked on the wooden door.

A kind voice answered from the other side.

"Coming!" He heard a woman speak a few feet away from the door. He still heard laughter in the house, kids. This was going to be some terrible business. "Since when do we have visitors..." She said as she pulled the door open, a toddler in her arms. "Who might you be-- Oh Lord!" She hastily put the little girl on the floor. "GENNY! Come take Lenn, we have a visitor!" The women dragged him into the house, grabbing his arm sleeves and inspecting his terrible attire. "You poor thing! What happened to you?!"

"Oh, umm.." He remembered he should have thought of an excuse before knocking. "Some thugs kidnapped me in the city, and beat me up. I must have blacked out... I don't remember getting here." He scraped his head, and wiped some blood from his cheek. He was getting fairly dizzy from the blood he was loosing.

"Oh dear, from London?! There are some terrible people in the world, it's why we left the city to live here! Come now, I'll fix you up! My name is Dina, and you sweetie?"

"Samuel." That name did not suit him whatsoever, he noted.

She led him upstairs, into her room. The house was pretty vestige looking, they must have lived here for many generations. It reminded him of Phil's old family home in Manchester. The room was quite tidy, and homely. The awkwardness was slowly leaving him as he adjusted to the comfortable aura of this household.

Madam Dina was the nicest tiny little woman Dan had ever had the pleasure of meeting. She was warm, and giggly and made him want to curl up on her lap and listen to her bedtime stories. He figured it would be weird for a six-foot stranger to ask for a cuddle so, he kept the urge within himself. Instead, he listened to her endlessly chatting about her family and her husband, as she expertly dealt with his wounds as if she'd done it a million times already.

She probably had, considering she had eight children.

They easily talk about their lives, by that obviously she talked AT Dan and he tried to devise a plan to finish this task. When she finished, she pulled him downstairs for dinner, and he sat at the table, enjoying their company.

He missed having company. He was, for once, actually enjoying himself. Phil was sitting at the back of his mind, just gnawing at his nerves, but it was less bad than usual. The noisy kitchen filled with banter put him at ease. He stared at his plate, admiring the texture of the cooked steak and mashed potatoes. He loved a good steak.

There was a shadow standing in the corner, expressionless.

He couldn't look at it, it hurt to stare. He knew it was the man, telling him to get on with it. Making him feel anxious and miserable. The worst thing about it was that it was working. He couldn't bear the weight of his glare, he had to do something, now.

"Um, Madam, is everybody in this house here?" He asked, trying (and failing) to sound natural.

"Why, yes! I should think..." She looked around the table, as if she'd forgotten about someone. "Nope, All of my pups are present! Why do you ask?"

"No reason! Is there a bathroom somewhere?"

She directed him to the bathroom, upstairs. He walked there, devising plots that all seem to be terrible.

He rocked backwards and forwards on the toilet, and heard a nasty chuckle right under his nose.

"Need some help?"

"...Why this house?" He asked, watching the smile falter on the man's face.

"Why this, why that, why anything?!" The man threw his hands above his head, and Dan felt he shouldn't argue anymore, for his own good. "Time is ticking, Dan. It is 10PM, if the job is not done by 12 I will cancel the deal." The man dug his fingers into his pocket, and brought out a match box. "Here," he threw it at Dan, it only had one match in it. "I told you I'd give you a hand, didn't I?"

He vanished.

"Dan!" He heard a voice out of nowhere.

"Phil?!" He stood up, alarmed.

"Dan." Phil said more calmly, and Dan found him standing, in the bathroom mirror. He stood up, a smile breaking through his fatigued features. He put his hands on the mirror, meeting Phil's own on the other side. Phil was smiling too, but his eyes weren't.

"Are you okay?" He said, simply. He couldn't think of anything else to say, looking at his friend.

"I-I am uhh, how are you.. here?"

"The man brought me here, for moral support."

"Right..." Dan stepped back from the mirror, and sat on the toilet once more. Phil bit his lips as he watched his friend ruffle his hair out of place. He wanted to do that too.

"Dan, I um.." Phil coughed, he really didn't want to have to say this. But looking at Dan made him think about things. Ever since Dan broke down to tears before him, he saw a weird obsession in him. He appretiated it, and it made him feel like Dan really cares about him like he does him. But... The sadness never leaves Dan. A shadow befell his face, and seeing him in a mirror just made it worse. Not to mention, what is he doing in a house like this? The man didn't seem trustworthy, but he promised Phil Dan wouldn't have to do anything bad to bring him back to life. Now, looking at Dan through this mirror, he's starting to doubt his honesty. "I don't think I'm worth all the trouble."

Dan's thoughts pause for a second. He raised his head, glaring at Phil. "Excuse me?"

"I mean," he said quickly. "Why are you doing all this? I-I don't like seeing you get hurt this way. I don't know what he's making you do Dan, and I don't like that you have to look this afterwards. Am I really worth it?"

"Shut up." Dan stood up.

"But-"

"Shut. Up." He said sternly. "You are worth it, Phil. I can't-" He paused, rubbing his eyes with his fingers. Was he tearing up now? "I can't imagine a life without you. I don't even want to move on, Phil. I just want you here."

Phil wanted to punch himself at that moment.

"I'm so sorry Dan." He felt like crying, who thought giving dead people the ability to cry was a good idea? "I want to be there too, I really do. I want to hug you, I want to touch you, I want-" He stopped himself.

Dan looked at him properly, a challenge in his eyes. "Want what?"

"I want you."

He no longer hesitated.

Dan stepped forward, feeling the fire burning in his chest, and his fingers. His hands clenched on the match box, and the other pulled on the bathroom door.

"I want you too."

Swiftly, before he even thought about it, he stepped outside of the bathroom. The woman's daughter, Genny, walked up the hallway to the bathroom. Dan was stood there, holding the match.

"Whatcha doing?" She beamed at him. "You took too long, we were worried about y-- wait, what are you doing?"

He tilted his head to the side, staring at the wooden floor. He looked Genny in the eyes, her concerned look making him reconsider, but not as much as she needed to.

He lit the match, and thew it across the hall. The match burned the nearest table and curtain in almost an instant.

"Oh my god! What did you do?!" Genny ran towards the fire, attempting to let off the curtain onto the ground. He grabbed her by the forearm and pulled her down the stairs. All her attempts of freeing herself were useless against his tall built. She shouted, and punched, and bit him with no remorse. By the time they were downstairs, most of the hallway was already on fire. The kids were screaming now, and he threw Genny on the ground. Dina charged quickly out of the kitchen, watching the flames bite into her only home. Her eyes trailed in shock from the stairs, to her daughter on the ground, and onto Dan's back running out of the door, feeling like he'd stabbed her in the back for her kindness.

He ran out of the house, and didn't dare look to back. He ran onto the man, and fell onto the mud like before. He wanted to cry, to scream, to punch something. He wanted his world to end.

"I did it." He said. "I actually did it-" He repeated in disbelief, hyperventilating. His heart was beating abnormally fast, listening to the rushing of his blood in his ears. The man grabbed him by the shoulders, and shook him out of his head.

"No time for a panic attack, Danny boy. You did good! It's 11pm, or something. I was going to let you do this task and the final task tomorrow but... You already know I changed my mind!" He dragged Dan by his fringe, making him squeal in pain. They walked away from the now fully burning house.

"Where are we going?" Dan said weakly, he didn't think he could handle something like this.

"Oh don't worry, you won't have to DO anything now. You'll just have to make a choice."

Dan didn't have the time to consider things, as usual. The man pulled him in and pushed him into another wormhole. This time, he lost consciousness.

****

He opened his eyes, seeing darkness.

"Good, you're awake." He heard the man speak, in a sing-song sort of way. He was sat on a chair, facing the very enthusiastic man in a dark blue suit. It looked expensive. He saw past the man, spotting two cages.

"Dan?" He heard Phil's voice. Phil was stood, his face covered in sadness. "Dan, the other cage!"

Oh no.

"Louise? Darcy?!" He stood up and ran to the other cage, seeing the passed out body of his friend and her daughter. He called her name, over and over again with Phil, but they didn't wake up.

"What did you do?!" Dan roared at the man. His confidence faltered at the man's gaze, and he ran off to Phil, to be near him. He extended his hands through the bars, and they joined hands for the first time in three days.

"Oh nothing bad, they're just asleep. I simply put them here. Souls sleep when the body is awake, and vice versa. You really shouldn't worry about them as much as you should worry about yourself." He coldly stated. "Now, get back here." With a flick of his finger, Dan was forcibly dragged back onto the chair. Phil called his name, but he didn't find his voice to speak back.

"You have to choose Danny."

"Choose what?"

"Which cage should continue living."

Phil's eyes widened in horror, and Dan stared gapingly at the man.

"You can't do this! This wasn't part of the deal!"

"What wasn't?" He laughed. "I never told you what should or should not be considered a task. I already told you I'm a sadist, and I enjoy seeing people suffer. You must choose someone to die instead of Phil. Unless you have someone else to choose?"

Dan will never do this to Louise, he can't. Can he?

"Dan, don't! I don't want to live like that, please!"

"It will be fine, Dan." The man reassured. "I will reverse time to where Phil died, and change things a bit to ensure his survival. All you have to do for me is to pick someone else to die instead. That way nobody will know it was you. If you want, I can make Phil forget too."

"STOP IT!" Phil shouted.

Dan stood up again, and walked towards Phil. His head was clear, he knew what to do. He held Phil's hands in his own, breathing slowly, waiting for Phil to calm down.

"Phil, promise me you'll be happy."

"Dan wha-" He said, confused.

"I love you. I love you too much... It's better this way." He walked away, tears streaming down his face.

"Dan! C-come back! DAN!" He kept shouting, but Dan didn't look back. He went to the man, using the last drip of confidence he could find in his heart.

"I've made my choice."

"Oh joy! " The man clapped his hands. "And?"

"I choose myself."

Silence followed, and a distressed cry filled it soon enough.

"Dan, NO! I don't want to live without you, don't you dare do this to me!" He cried, falling on his knees.

"This is for the best Phil."

"You're just being selfish!"

"YES I AM!" He shouted back. "I'm selfish, rude and a terrible human being, You deserve to live happily, I don't! If anyone should be given the chance to move on, it should be you!"

"I DON'T WANT THIS LIFE WITHOUT YOU, THAT'S NOT YOUR CHOICE TO MAKE!"

"IT IS NOW," he turned to the man. "Do it."

"Very well." He said, and clicked his finger.

Everything fell down on both of them, and they found themselves in the coffee shop.

Dan's seat was further from the table than he remembered.

Phil stared at Dan, panic in his eyes. His seat was further from the table as well, and he saw the cab coming at the end of the street. He shifted his seat closer, and stretched his arms to Dan.

"You idiot, step back" Dan jumped on his chair.

"It's my life, Dan." He said softly, seeing Dan panic. "It's okay, I've done this before."

The seconds were eternal, and they held hands from where they sat. The lights made the place look magical, unreal, and they were mesmerised. This was the end.

"I love you too." Phil said, and Dan couldn't reply. He just smiled.

The cab came crashing through, both of them were in the right place at the right time.

They held hands till the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed it!

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment what you think! I value opinions more than anything else :)


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